Southern California -- this just in

17-year-old killed Canyon Country 'Good Samaritan,' official says

November 2, 2011 | 2:33
pm

A 17-year-old boy has been arrested on suspicion of murder in connection with a Canyon Country shooting that killed one person and injured another.

The shooting suspect and two other 17-year-old boys were in custody Wednesday, said Lt. Eddie Hernandez of the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department, who added that he expected murder charges to be filed against all three teenagers.

Two of the suspects were among four who were detained soon after Monday's shooting. Two of them were determined not to have been involved in the crime and were released.

Hernandez said the investigation led authorities to the alleged shooter, who was arrested Tuesday night. He was not among the four initially detained.

The shooting took place Monday afternoon at a strip mall on Soledad Canyon Road.

The injured victim had arrived to sell a gaming system, and Hernandez confirmed Wednesday that the suspects “changed their mind” and carried out a robbery to steal the system.

The person who was killed, whom Hernandez described as a “passerby,” saw the robbery unfolding and chose to intervene.

“There was no indication he knew anybody” in the altercation, Hernandez said, and died at a hospital.

Hernandez said the robbery victim who was shot was treated and released that night and was cooperating with investigators. The victims’ names were withheld because they are minors.

The Los Angeles County coroner could not release the name of the Good Samaritan because his family had not been notified.

Hernandez said they received the body Tuesday night, but the department has no listed next of kin.

“We have very little information on the victim,” Hernandez said. “It was bizarre and very sad.”